Bunny Ranch, Nevada’s famous brothel, may be coming to Toronto

After an Ontario court ruled some prostitution laws were illegal, owner Dennis Hof started looking north

A world famous brothel may be coming to Toronto. The Bunny Ranch is the famous brothel that has been serving legal sex since 1955 in Nevada and now that an Ontario court has struck down Canada's bawdy-house laws, it may be expanding north of the border.

The Moonlite Bunny Ranch has also become more well-known because of the HBO show Cathouse, which follows the lives of those who work in the brothel.

Owner Dennis Hof plans to scout out Toronto in June after looking at expansion option in Amsterdam.

Hof's girlfriend and Ranch regular Cami Parker is from Vancouver and got Hof looking north of the border during the court battle.

"The light started going on," Hof said to the Toronto Sun. "I need to be in Canada. I want to be a pioneer."

As far as location, Hof told the Sun "Downtown, with good parking and street exposure...A busy area so people can get in and out without being noticed."

But the brothel may not be such an easy sell to Premier Dalton McGuinty. When he was asked about the potential Tuesday morning, McGuinty seemed confused and had to ask what the Moonlite Bunny Ranch was, reports the Canadian Press. When a reporter explained it was a brothel, the premier laughed nervously as his face went red.

"We're not going there. Next question," he said.

In March, the Ontario Court of Appeal agreed with most of a lower court decision, ruling sex workers should be able to legally take their trade indoors and be able to pay staff to support them, which would include drivers and bodyguards. The judge ruled some provisions to the Criminal Code pertaining to prostitution be struck down because they are unconstitutional. As Yahoo! Canada's Political Points blog reported about in March, this meant, among other things, the ban on bawdy-houses disappeared and the court paved the way for legal brothels.

The Bunny Ranch already has four other locations, including Area 51 where "you can dress up as Captain Kirk and play with Princess Leia," said Hof to the Sun.

The Ranch may not be the only part of Nevada moving north. According to reports, MGM Resorts International development staff has visited Toronto and are interested in opening an entertainment complex, including a casino and hotel.

The courts gave Ottawa a year to rewrite the bawdy-house laws if they choose to, but Hof plans to start working with local partners and hopes that doesn't happen.